Gov't Rejects Bill Annexing Jewish Communities

The cabinet rejected on Sunday a bill proposed by MK Miri Regev (Likud) to place Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria under full Israeli sovereignty. If passed, the bill would have taken the communities out of the purview of the military government in Judea and Samaria, which is under the Department of Defense.

Ma'ariv/NRG reported that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in the cabinet session that he will vote against the bill if it is brought to a vote, and asked to postpone the debate regarding the bill to later date.

Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Regev denied "rumors" according to which the Prime Minister's bureau asked her to withdraw the proposal. "No one from the Prime Minister's Bureau has approached me on the subject or requested that I take back my proposal," she stated. However, she said Likud ministers had voted against the proposal, specifically singling out Benny Begin as a "fig leaf" used by unspecified elements for hiding behind.

"Rejection of the bill is pointless," she argued. "I have been acting – and shall continue to act – in accordance with the Likud constitution, according to which the communities throughout the Land of Israel need to be developed and sovereignty must be applied to Judea and Samaria."

"Regretfully, Minister Benny Begin has turned into a fig leaf for opposing and passing laws in the government," she accused. "I am certain the Prime Minister is familiar with the Likud constitution, thanks to which he was elected," she added. "I am definitely disappointed by the voting of the Likud ministers and the way in which they brought down the law."

Regev is planning to announce the establishment of a Knesset lobby for applying full Israeli sovereignty on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.